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Studies say 60% of doctors don't receive flu shots. There is a reason.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms nearly 100,000 people around the world have been diagnosed with swine flu — or the H1N1 virus. But many epidemiologists say there are likely millions of unconfirmed cases.  As researchers learn more about the virus, it's being compared to the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918.

Swine flu hit parts of the country hard over the spring and parts of summer.  WHO declared the first flu pandemic of the 21st century in June 2009.

State health officials in Kansas recently confirmed two people from northeast Kansas have died from swine flu, the state's third and fourth deaths linked to the H1N1 virus.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment also says that a 16-year-old from northeast Kansas died in September, and tests confirmed swine flu. A 30-year-old adult, also from northeast Kansas, died in late September, and tests confirmed the adult had the swine flu virus.

KDHE said the 16-year-old and the 30-year-old both had other contributing health conditions.

Vaccination

The first doses of the swine flu vaccine will start shipping the first week in October, slightly earlier than expected, U.S. health officials report. Health authorities say they hope to vaccinate more than half of the population in just a few months against swine flu, which doctors call the 2009 H1N1 strain.

These first 3.4 million doses will come in the form of the nasal spray FluMist.

While the health department has not mandated the vaccine some states and organizations have. Most health care providers are required to get the vaccine and that has some concerned about uncertain side effects.

“I'm glad to protect myself and others since it [where she works] is a healthcare environment, but I wish I had a choice about it,” said Jami Hespe who works at a hospital in Hays, Kan.

Hespe says she had a reaction from a flu shot she received two weeks ago. “My arm was sore for about 4 or 5 days and I had a huge pink welt about the size of a 50 cent piece with a big knot under it,” Hespe said.  “This was my first flu shot. I kind of wish it was my last.”

Hespe says she will receive the H1N1 vaccination sometime in October.

Health care workers and health freedom civil rights advocates in New York protested against a state mandate that medical professionals get seasonal and swine-flu vaccines. The state health commissioner, however, said their arguments are baseless.

A high ranking military commander reports U.S. military troops will begin getting required swine flu shots in the next week to 10 days, with active duty forces deploying to war zones and other critical areas getting top priority for the vaccine.

Concerns

In Australia, the vaccine rollout has been delayed by the government’s refusal to underwrite physicians’ liability. A spokeswoman for the Medical Indemnity Protection Service said the company would cover doctors, but they need to “appropriately advise patients that the vaccine is untested and may have [currently] unknown consequences…. We do not know the risk [or] benefit of the vaccine versus contracting the disease.”

Here at home HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has taken the precaution of immunizing both government officials and vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits like those filed in 1976, by invoking the 2006 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREPA). The state of Maine, by declaring a statewide civil emergency, also protects schools and medical personnel from liability claims.

Many citizens and doctors alike say they have more concerns about the vaccination than the swine flu itself. Dr. George Watson, a Park City-based physician and president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, says he will not administer the vaccination.

“We do not appreciate government mandates of any kind,” said Watson.  “60% of doctors don’t even get a flu shot.”

Watson also said the Czech Republic cancelled its contract with the U.S. pharmaceutical firm Baxter to supply swine flu vaccine due to Baxter’s inability to guarantee that the swine flu vaccine will be safe.

The website tn.cz not only confirms this claim, but states the Czech Health Ministry stopped talks with Baxter because the pharmaceutical company will not explain who will bear the risks for possible side-effects.

Watson believes the swine flu vaccine is symptomatic of a larger governmental battle. “The government health plan is a grab for power,” said Watson. “They are pushing for HR3200 - a socialist’s power grab to take over the entire economy. We will have a democratic dictatorship if they succeed.”

Adjuvants used in the swine flu Vaccine

And it’s these possible side effects that have many leery of receiving the vaccination. The last mass inoculations against a different swine flu, in 1976, were marred by reports of a rare paralyzing condition, Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Dr. James E. Clay of Augusta, Kansas knows firsthand the possible consequences of untested vaccines. Just after receiving a similar vaccine in 1976, Clay contracted Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a peripheral nerve degenerative condition that leads to paralysis of the muscles. Guillain-Barré is different from other nerve conditions such as Lou Gherig’s Disease, since it does not affect the brain, brain stem, or spinal cord. The scare over vaccines became more prominent after the Gulf War. Gulf War veterans were shown to develop nerve damage after anthrax vaccination for overseas protection from biological warfare.

The most common type of adjuvant is aluminum salts, which is the adjuvant used in the swine flu vaccine. The side effect of aluminum salts is possible hyperactivity of the immune system. Just like an allergy, if the patient is allergic to the swine flu vaccine, the body’s immune system causes extreme inflammation, which is more dangerous than the helpful benefits. The inflammation causes nerve damage and health concerns for some people. However, these side effects are rare and have not caused concern for the FDA or CDC. The swine flu vaccine continues to be a promising cure for the current epidemic.

Federal health officials are recommending a single dose of the H1N1 vaccine for people 10 years of age and older, and two doses for those younger than 10. That's the same regimen recommended for seasonal flu vaccine.

FluMist is not recommended for children under 2 years of age; people with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes; pregnant women; or people older than 49. Children and pregnant women are among those at greatest risk for complications from the H1N1 swine flu, according to the CDC.

Survey

A Consumer Report poll conducted by Princeton shows only a third of Americans plan to get the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

One reason might be that 57% of adults with conditions that put them at risk of severe flu complications aren't aware of their risk of severe swine flu. Nearly a third of those polled said they had at least one of the health conditions that increase swine flu risk.

Risk awareness may be a key factor in vaccine acceptance. Sixty percent of those who know they're at risk said they'd definitely get a swine flu shot.

Aside from people not understanding risk factors for severe flu, other findings suggest that the CDC has its work cut out for it as it tries to convince people to get both their seasonal and pandemic flu shots.

Jan Watts of El Dorado says she hasn’t had a flu shot since 1964 and also hasn’t had the flu since then.  "I'm very concerned about the swine flu vaccine,” said Watts. “I've done a lot of research on it and feel it's something that I want to avoid.”

TIPS

• Exercise

• Regular hand washing

• 5000 units of Vitamin D3 daily

• Get enough rest

• Avoid sugar

• Lysine 500mg 3x times to fight viruses

• Keep immune system strong

Russ Jones is the  co-publisher of the award winning Christian Press newspaper and frequent contributor to numberous publications both printed and online. He may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .